Bushing structure and sealing means therefor



Dec. 22, 1931. H. SCHWARTZ BUSHING STRUCTURE AND SEALING MEANS THEREFORFiled Nov. 12. 1927 //E/vu (Ovi /9 072 6 M 7 Patented so. 22, 1931 i'rsoSTATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY SCHWARTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOBARREL FITTING AND SEAL CORPORATION OF AMERICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BUSHING STRUCTURE AN D SEALING MEANS THEREFORApplication filed November 12; 1927. Serial No. 232,722.

This invention relates to a bushing structure and a sealing meanstherefor and has special reference to a structure such as is used as abung for metallic barrels andother containers usually employed instoring or shipping oils or other liquids or semi-liquids.

More particularly, this invention relates to a hung or plug which is soconstructed and arranged as to effectively prevent a leakage of theliquid or semi-liquid from the container during the shipping or storagethereof and also to a means for preventing access to the bung or plug inorder to guard against an unauthorized opening of the barrel orcontainer without such opening being detected.

In the embodiment illustrated and hereinafter described inthisapplication, the plug or bung is cast or otherwise formed with thehereinbefore referred usual tool engaging formations on the outer endportion thereof and is externally threaded to engage an internallythreaded bushing of the barrel or container. However, in lieu of theusual sealing gasket between the bung and the bushing or between thebung and the wall of the container, a peripheral groove is cast orotherwise formed onthe upper portion of thebung in which groove is casta material which is softer than either the material of the bung or ofthe bushing. The cast material in the groove is initially unthreaded andthe peripheral contour thereof is coextensive with the external threadsof the bung/When the bung is threaded in the bushing, the latter formsthreads in the cast material, thereby providing a leakproof jointtherebetween.

The castmaterial in the groove of the bung to is further employed as asecuring means for positioning a hooklike member over the tool engagingformations on theouter end portion of the bung, the hood-like memberbeing for the purpose of preventing an undetectable access to the toolengaging formations.

For a better understanding of the nature, characteristics and scopeofthis invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings andthe following description in which drawings: I

Figure 1 is an end view of a portion of a Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalView taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the bung showing in particular theperipheral groove;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a hoodlike member adapted for use as asealing means for preventing access to the tool engaging formations ofthe bung shown in F ig..3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View showing an assembly of the bung andthe sealing means therefor in the bushingof the container.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a barrel head orsupporting wall of a container is shown and is preferably formed of asheet material such as steel. A flanged portion 11 is preferablyintegrally formed with the head 10 and projects outwardly from thebarrel or container to form a socket.

. The side walls of the flanged portion or socket are preferablypolygonally shaped and receive therein a main body portion 12 of asimilar peripheral contour. Although it is preferable to provide aregularly shaped socket in which to contain the main body portion, it isto be understood that any non-circular shape may be given to' thissocket whereby the main body portion is prevented ,from turning in thesocket. The main body ,"portion 12 is preferably formed of an internallythreaded casting which may be made of malleable iron or other suitablematerial.

In the particular construction herein shown the edges 13 of the mainbody portion 12 are tapered, the taper converging rear wardly orinwardly from the outer surface thereof; that is, the outer diameter ofthe bottom surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the uppersurface. The flange 11 is formed to snugly engage the tapered edges 13to form a dove-tail in order to secure the body portion in a fixedassembled relation with the barrel head. The particular method 'offorming the engaging walls of the socket with the internally threadedbody portion 12 is more fully described in my copending aptainer, itbeing necessary merely to provide an internally threaded supportingportion in which to position the bung.

A plug or bung 14 is provided with threads 15 to engage the internallythreaded body ortion 12. The outer end portion of the ung 14 is providedwith a tool engaging formation 16 preferably hexagonal in shape andanother tool engaging formation in the form of a square recess 17 in theenlarged hexagonal head of the previously mentioned formation. The bungis preferably cast with a peripheral groove 18 near the upper endthereof and adjacent the threads 15, the groove providing a shoulder 19in which latter a plurality of apertures 20 are preferably cast.

The sealing device of this invention is preferably comprised of a capportion 21 and a skirt portion 22. The skirt portion has a flange member23 formed preferably at right angles to the wall of the skirt portion,the flange 23 having a plurality of slot-like apertures 24: adapted toregister with tures 20 formed on the shoulder 19 of the bung. Intheassembly of the skirt portlon 23 to the bung 14, the flange23 seatsagainst the shoulder 19 in a position so that the slots 24 and theapertures 20 are in register,.one with the other, whereafter a materialis cast in the peripheral groove 18, some of the materia passing throughthe slots 24 into the apertures 20, thus holding the skirt portion 22against rotation and in a fixed relation with the bung 14. The castmaterial results in the formation of a sealing band and may be of leador a suitable composition softer than that of the body portion 12 or thebung 14. The lower outer periphery of the cast portion of the groove iscoextensive with the outer diameter of the threads of the bung andtapers slightly outwardly from the container, or as shown in thedrawings, upwardly therefrom.

The threaded portion of the bung is substantially vertical as is usualin these constructions. When -the bung is threaded into the body portion12, threads are formed on the sealing band by the internal threads ofthe body portion 12, thus providing an effective seal to prevent leakageof the liquid or semi-liquid in the container. It is only necessary toform a little over a complete convolution of a thread in the sealingband the first time used and as provision may be made for the castmaterial to be of such a widthas to accommodate several threads, the

the aperbung ma be thus sealed a great number of times. n practice,after the first use, the thread previously formed in the cast materialof the groove may be taken up and a further turn of only a portion ofone convolution is necessary to form an effective seal. Further, thesurplus material afforded by the taper of the cast material of thegroove ultimately forms a sealing gasket when the bung is engagedsufficiently into the bushing.

There are regulators governing the variations in the sizes of bushingsand bungs which permit of an amount of play between the engaging threadsthereof. The sealing means are therefore forced to prevent any leakageof the contents of the container and receive little or no cooperationfrom the engagement of the bung and the business in which it isdisposed. Heretofore, bungs are usually provided with flanges, andsealing gaskets are disposed between these flanges and the bushings orwalls of the containers. It is quite diflicult to line up the engagingsurface of the flange with respect to the axis of the threaded portion,and, as a result, the flange may not bear against the gasket on theentire surface thereof. Leakage is ordinary and not unusual. In thepresent construction, it is quite simple to align the sealing band orthe cast material ofthe groove with the threaded portion of the bung andtherefore the aforementioned difficulties are eliminated.

After the barrel or container is filled with a liquid or semi-liquid,and the bung is positioned in the flange, the cap portion 21 is placedover the tool engaging formations 16 and 17 the outer end thereof beingshaped so asto engage a beaded portion on the upper end of the wall 22of the skirt portion. The cap 21 is preferably provided with a hoodportion on the outer periphery thereof which is inserted in a femaleportion of the wall 22 where the same is clamped and cannot be removedwithout the removal being detected. The wall of the skirt portion 22 isspaced from the outer periphery of the bung in order that the wall mustbe deformed shouldan attempt be made to clamp a tool on the bung tounscrew the same. It will be readily apparent that the tool engagingformations 16 and 17 are thoroughly guarded from an undetectable accessby means of the cap 21 as the cap must be deformed in some manner inorder to apply the necessary tools to engage the. same. The material ofthe cap and skirt portions are preferably formed of a very thin sheetmetal such as tin which will readily tear or become ruptured or deformedif an attempt is made to obtain access to the contents of the barrel.

As a result of this invention, an effective seal for preventing leakageof the liquid or semi-liquid of a container is obtained in a novelmanner by providing a comparatively soft metal in a groove formedadjacent the threads of the this sealing'means is further employed as asecuring means for positioning a hood member over the tool engagingformations on the outer end portion of the closure means to prevent anundetectable access'to the contents of the container.

While but a single embodiment of. this invention is herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various modifications Will beapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of this invention, and therefore, it is desired that theinvention be limited only by the scope of the prior art and the appendedclaims:

1. A bushing structure for containers comprising a threaded body portionadjacent a hole in a supporting wall of said container, a threadedclosure plug for engagement with said threaded body portion, saidclosure plug having an annular groove therein and apertures extendingfrom said annular groove, and sealing means in said groove having afluid-tight forced engagement with the threads of said body portion,said sealing means extending into said apertures of said closure plug toobtain a fixed engagement therewith.

2. A bushing structure for containers comprising a threaded body portionadjacent a hole in a supporting wall thereof, threaded closure meanshaving tool engaging formations on the outer end thereof for engagementwith said threaded body portion, annular sealing means carried by saidclosure means, and means for covering said tool engaging formationscarried by said closure I sealing means.

means and held in position thereon by said 3. A bushing structure forcontainers comprising a threaded body portion adjacent a hole in asupporting wall thereof, threaded closure means having tool engagingformations on the outer end thereof for engagement with said threadedbody portion, annular sealing means carried by said closure means, and ahood for covering said tool engaging formations carried by said closuremeans and held in sealing means.

4. A bushing structure for containers comprising a threaded body portionadjacent a hole in a supporting wall thereof, threaded closure meanshaving tool engaging formations on the outer end thereof for engagementwith said body portion, said closure means having an annular groovethereon, sealing means disposed in said groove for making a fluid-tightforced engagement with the threads of said body portion, and a hoodhaving a portion thereof extending into said position thereon by saidclosure means. Moreover,

means having an annular groove thereon,

sealing means disposed in said groove for making a fluid-tight forcedengagement with the threads of said body portion, and a hood having anannular flange disposed in said annular groove and held in a fixedrelation with said closure means. by said sealing means, said hoodcovering said tool engaging formations.

6. A bushing structure for containers comprising a threaded body portionadjacent a ole in a supporting wall thereof, threaded closure meanshaving tool engaging formations on the outer end thereof for engagementwith said body portion, said closure means having an annular groovethereon, said groove having apertures extending therefrom into thematerial of said closure means, a sealing band of soft material disposedin said groove for making a fluid-tight forced engagement with thethreads of said body portion, a hood for covering said tool engagingformations having an annular flange disposed in said annular groove,said flange having apertures therein for registration with saidapertures of said closure means, the material of said sealing bandextending into both of said apertures for holding said sealing band andsaid flange ina fixed relation with said closure means.

7. The combination with a container havouter wall of greater diameterthan said threaded connecting means thus affording a surplus of materialin the formation of the thread in said band to form a sealing shoulder.

8. The combination with a container having an opening therein andthreaded connecting means adjacent said opening, of closure means havingthreaded en agement with said connecting means, and sea ing meanscarried by said closure means adjacent the threads thereof having afluid-tight forced engagement with the threads of said connecting means,said sealing means having a greater outer diameter than saidthreadedconnection means thus'afi'ording asurplus of material a housing in theformation of the thread in said sealing means to form a sealingshoulder.

9. The combination with a container having an opening therein andthreaded connecting means adjacent said opening, of closure means havingthreaded engagement with said connecting means and having tool engagingformations on the outer end thereof, for covering said tool engagingformations, and means for fixedly securing said housing to said closuremeans.

10. The combination with a container having an opening therein andthreaded connecting means adjacent said opening, of closure means havingthreaded engagement with said connecting means, said closure meanshaving an annular groove adjacent the threads thereof at least the depthof said threads, and sealing means in said annular groove having agreater outer diameter than the greatest diameter of said threadedconnecting means whereby when said closure means is threaded into saidconnecting means a fluid-tight seal is effected on the upper end of saidconnecting means and at the threads thereof. 1

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

A HENRY SCHWARTZ.

